For more than 15 years, Health Research BC and its predecessor organizations have supported BC’s research ethics community to build an environment where health research involving people, their data or their biological materials is carried out in a respectful, just and compassionate way.

 

We support ethics harmonization (formerly known as the BC Ethics Harmonization Initiative), a province-wide effort to streamline ethics reviews for multi-site studies. This model, co-developed with BC health research partners, is now in use by all BC health authorities, most research universities, and many colleges. Learn more about the harmonization initiativeon the Clinical Trials British Columbia website.

 

Health Research BC also works with the BC Ministry of Health on the Research Approvals Processes Project (RAPP), a provincial initiative to streamline operational approvals, ethics reviews, contracts and agreements, data access and privacy reviews. Drawing on both historic and current knowledge of research processes, we participate on RAPP’s steering committee and subject matter expert working groups, while also facilitating engagement with the research ethics and clinical trials communities.

 

Indigenous research ethics 

Aligned with our commitment to Indigenous reconciliation, we have gathered resources to help researchers, research ethics offices and boards engage in research involving First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples.

 

Community voice 

• Cowichan Tribe fact sheet June 2023

Cultural safety & anti-racism 

• San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety 

• In Plain Sight: Addressing Indigenous-specific Racism and Discrimination in B.C. Health Care

• Culturally Safe and Trauma-Informed Practices for Researchers during COVID-19

• Two-Spirit Research Ethics Guidance

• British Columbia Cultural Safety and Humility Standard

Engagement 

• Community Engagement | Article 9.2 | TCPS2

• Requirement for Meaningful Engagement of First Nations, Inuit, Metis, and Indigenous Peoples in Publications about them

• Culturally Safe Engagement | What Matters to Indigenous Patient Partners?

Data governance and the principles of OCAP® 

• Understanding the First Nations Principles of OCAP®

• A First Nations Data Governance Strategy

• IRSI Principles for Indigenous Data Governance 

• Templates for Ethical Research Practices 

• OCAP®: The Path to First Nations Information Governance 

• CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance 

• Using OCAP® and IQ as Frameworks to Address a History of Trauma in Indigenous Health Research

Understand the current context and responsibilities for reconciliation 

• New funding supports First Nations participation implementing Declaration Art

• Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action

• The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

• United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)

• Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) BC 

• BC 5-year plan toward implementing DRIPA

• UBC Commitment to UNDRIP 

• Royal Roads University: Commitment to Indigenous Peoples

• Vancouver Coastal Health: Commitment to Reconciliation

• University of Alberta Indigenous Canada Course

DNA on loan: exploring biobanking with indigenous values 

• DNA on Loan Forum – CIHR

• DNA on Loan: issues to Consider when Carrying Out Genetic Research with Aboriginal Families and Communities

Review guidelines on conducting culturally safe research 

• TCPS2 Chapter 9: Research

• CIHR Guidelines for Health Research

• A Principled Approach to Research Conducted with Inuit, Métis, and First Nations People

• Research and Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge First Nations Ethics Guide on Research and Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge

• Principles of Engagement for Indigenous Community-based Research

• FNHA 7 Directives

• Indigenous Community Research Partnerships Course

• (Re)framing Policy as Practice: Implementing Chapter 9 of TCPS2

Understand the importance of community-led ethics protocols and practices 

• What Do They Really Mean by Partnerships?” (Brunger & Wall)

• A new era of Indigenous Research (Hayward et. al.)

• BC SUPPORT Unit: Indigenous Research Ethics and Protocols Webinar (Dr. Malcolm King)

Community-led research ethics processes 

• Protocols and Principles for Conducting Research in a Nuu-Chah-Nulth Context

• Inter-Tribal Health Authority Research Protocol

• Mi’kmaw Research Principles and Protocols

• Bringing Ethics Review Home to Cowichan: Indigenizing Ethics Review in British Columbia, Canada

• 2024 Carrier Sekani Family Services Research Ethics Policy

• 2024 Carrier Sekani Family Services (CSFS) Policy on Responsible Conduct of Research

• Nunatsiavut Government Research Ethics Committee

• Ktunaxa Nation’s Code of Ethics

• Six Nations Council Research Ethics Committee Protocol

• NunatuKavut Research Advisory Committee

• Research 101: A Manifesto for Ethical Research in the Downtown Eastside, Vancouver

Videos 

• Cultural Safety Education as the Blueprint for Reconciliation | Len Pierre | TEDxSFU

• Advancing Cultural Safety in Patient-Oriented Research with Indigenous Communities | Plenary speaker: Evan Adams; Q&A Led by Kim McGrail

• Senator Murray Sinclair on Reconciliation

• Reconciliation Totem Pole at UBC

• Musqueam Post sʔi:ɬqəy̓ qeqən (double-headed serpent post) Installation

Stay informed and engaged 

• IRSI newsletter

• UBC Learning Circle newsletter

• BC NEIHR newsletter

• NCCIH newsletter

• Resource Summary